Mallamälläpäätteestä

Mallamälläpäätteestä refers to a grammatical phenomenon observed in certain Finnish dialects, particularly in the Savo region. It describes the situation where a word ending in an open syllable is followed by a word beginning with a syllable containing the 'l' sound, and a special kind of assimilation or elision occurs. This often results in the vowel of the first word being shortened or even dropped, and the 'l' sound of the second word being altered or duplicated.

The term itself is a compound word illustrating the phenomenon. "Mallamällä" is a hypothetical example derived from "malla" (perhaps a colloquial form related to "malli" meaning model or example) and "mällä" (perhaps a colloquial form related to "mä" meaning I or me), and "päätteestä" meaning "from the ending." The combination highlights how a word's ending interacts with the beginning of the next word.

While not a part of standard Finnish grammar, mallamälläpäätteestä is a recognizable feature of spoken dialects, contributing to their unique sound. Linguists study such phenomena to understand the evolution of language and the variations that exist within it. It is primarily a feature of informal, spoken language and is rarely, if ever, codified in written form. The exact phonetic realization can vary between speakers and even within different contexts of the same dialect. Understanding this feature requires an appreciation for the nuances of Finnish dialectology.